DCU goes to Silicon Valley
Three fledgling DCU student companies have triumphed in a global search to identify the next generation of high-potential technology businesses. Selected from a field of 40 applicants from around the globe, Notehome, Cent for Change and Agile Payments are the only Irish entrants to join an elite cohort of 14 finalist student start-ups to participate in the Intel Technology To Market Accelerator@UC Berkeley.
The Intel Technology to Market Accelerator@UC Berkeley programme is a partnership between the Intel Foundation and the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship at the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley to teach the most cutting-edge Silicon Valley start-up skills to entrepreneurs from around the world, providing to them real-world, immersive learning about successfully transferring technologies into start-ups that benefit society.
The three DCU companies have been developing their business ideas as part of DCU’s UStart initiative, supported by JP Morgan Chase Foundation, which aims to embed entrepreneurialism amongst the DCU student body. They were selected by Intel for their use of innovative, disruptive and scalable computing technology in a high impact area:
Agile Payments provides a cashless transaction service to enhance user experience and provide a streamlined system free of restrictions.
Cent for Change is a service that offers the online banking customer a new way to donate to charity. Our service provides customers a simple way to donate the spare cent from their bank balance to a selected charity of their choice.
Notehome is an online and mobile communications and payments platform for primary schools and parents, fulfilling the need for digitalisation in this area. It satisfies the parent’s desire to have more real-time and accurate information, while also saving schools money.
Speaking about the fantastic achievement of DCU teams on making up more than 20% of the finalists, Professor Brian MacCraith said,
“As Ireland’s University of Enterprise, DCU is committed to fostering creativity, innovative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit within our students. Our students and graduates involved in Agile Payments, Cent for Change and Notehome have fully embraced this ethos and fully deserve this opportunity to take their business ideas to the next level. The Intel Technology to Market Accelerator@UC Berkeley will allow all three to build on the skills they have acquired through the UStart programme here at DCU.”
Director of Corporate Affairs at Intel Ireland, Brendan Cannon added,
“This Technology to Market programme provides a truly immersive experience of being an entrepreneur – it gives the students the chance to learn from the marketplace, to work as teams to overcome failures and embrace successes, and to encounter the realities of creating a start-up. At Intel, we truly believe that entrepreneurship and innovation are fundamental drivers of sustainable growth and by cultivating a thriving entrepreneurial culture we can encourage the mind-set among young people that they can own their own employability.”
The students, who flew to the States this week, will have 3 days of onsite training in Silicon Valley, learning the advanced skills that UC Berkeley teaches to the best Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. The week will culminate with a Demo Day where they will pitch their ideas directly to Silicon Valley business angels and venture capital investors.